Rangers suffer bruising defeat in play-off first leg

Rangers' hopes of returning to the top flight of Scottish football have been dealt a massive blow following a 3-1 home hammering by Motherwell in the first leg of their Premiership play-off final. The fallen Glasgow giants, absent from the Scottish Premiership for three years following liquidation and their enforced demotion to the fourth tier in 2012, made a confident start at Ibrox and came close through Kenny Miller and Nicky Law. However, Motherwell, who were in the final courtesy of finishing 11th in the Premiership, drew first blood when Lee Erwin's shot took a huge deflection off Rangers defender Darren McGregor to give 'keeper Cammy Bell no chance in the 27th minute. Former Celtic defender Stephen McManus headed in a second in the 40th minute before Lionel Ainsworth slammed home a third just over a minute after the break. Rangers pulled one back through McGregor's header in the 82nd minute as they piled on the pressure but the Ibrox side face a tough task if they are to overturn Motherwell's advantage in the return leg at Fir Park on Sunday. "I was pretty pleased with how we started but I think in possession of the ball that's probably as poor as we've been since I have been at the club," Rangers manager Stuart McCall, who started the season in charge of Motherwell, said. "We are better than that on the ball and we didn't create enough until late on in the game." Motherwell manager Ian Baraclough, meanwhile, was delighted with his side's performance. "To come here, score three goals and play the way the boys did is really pleasing," the Well manager said. "We worked on things all week and they did it to a tee." Miller was first to threaten at Ibrox when he darted past Motherwell defender Keith Lasley before curling a shot from 20 yards just wide of the far corner. Motherwell 'keeper George Long then had to make a fine stop to deny former Well midfielder Law who let fly with a vicious, rising strike from just inside the box. The visitors had been on the back foot but made the breakthrough in the 27th minute. Erwin cut in from the right wing and ran at the retreating Rangers defence before firing in a shot that took a vicious deflection off the outstretched leg of McGregor on its way past Bell. - Hammer blow - The goal inspired Motherwell and moments later Erwin threatened again as his header from a corner bounced off Lee Wallace on its way past the post. Rangers then threatened from a corner as McGregor's header was saved by Long and then Nicky Clark could only fire the rebound straight at the legs of the 'keeper. And the hosts were dealt a hammer blow in the 40th minute when McManus made it 2-0. Marvin Johnson whipped in a free-kick from the right and McManus got across his marker to steer a header beyond the diving Bell. It took just over a minute of the second half for Motherwell to rip through the Rangers defence again. Stephen Pearson intercepted the ball from Rangers youngster Andy Murdoch and raced forward before slipping in Erwin. The Motherwell striker cut inside and laid off a pass to Ainsworth, who smashed a low shot from the edge of the box beyond Bell. The home side responded by going on the attack and Long made a great block to keep out a powerful shot from Haris Vuckic after he chased down a long throw-in. Rangers pulled one back through McGregor when he got on the end of a Law cross to bullet a header past Long and substitute Kris Boyd had a late effort chopped off for offside as the home side finished strongly.